Happy Birthday
by MadoHomu
Summary: Sometimes, even wishing your best friend Happy Birthday could be quite awkward. AU MadoHomu


"Where's Homura at this hour?" Mami stared at the clock hung up on the wall.

It had been an hour past noon and Homura still hadn't appear at Mami's house where the five best friend had agreed to meet to celebrate Madoka's birthday.  
>Mami's house was chosen seen it was vast, quiet and extremely spacious for the five of them to have a cake fight later on. Madoka doesn't mind, since she knew it would be fun with all her friends, celebrating her birthday.<p>

But why was Homura, the person Madoka was the closest with, an hour late for the birthday bash?

"The ice cream cake is gonna melt." Kyoko pouted miserably as she sat her chin on the table and grumbled. "Where is she?"

"Maybe she's lost. She could have taken the wrong bus here." Madoka stood up from her seat.

"Where are you going?" Sayaka stared weirdly at the pinkette.

"I'm going to find her."

"She'll get here by herself. She's big enough to do so." Sayaka waved Madoka off as she pulled the birthday girl's wrist. "Sit down and we'll try calling her cell phone again."

"It's alright." Madoka smiled. "I'll just go and look around."

Kyoko lifted her head up as an idea struck her. The redhead gave a small nudge to Sayaka before turning her attention to Madoka. "Go ahead then, we'll wait for you."

"But she's the birthday girl!" Sayaka argued.

Slightly getting the hint, Kyoko was giving, Mami interrupted. "We can try to make some more food for the party later on. While we get busy, Madoka can go around searching for Homura."

"Excellent idea!" Kyoko nodded her head.

"You and your food." Sayaka rolled her eyes.

"That's a great idea." Madoka beamed. "I'll be right back!"

As Madoka skipped across the room and towards the door, she almost thought she had heard some snickering coming from her friends at the table. But nah… she's probably just imagining things.

[H.A.P.P.Y B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Y]

Homura was never good at showing her emotions ever since that incident where she realized that emotions were things that made her suffer.

Her friends, her families, everyone.

She knows that if she just got too close with people, they could end up hurting you, destroying you and made you suffer in the depth of hell. She realized her mistake, yet she always put her past behind and continued thinking that the person who she's going to be close with, would never do anything to hurt her.

But she's always wrong. Always, always wrong.

Since then, she started building bricks of walls to cover her true emotions and feelings that always end up betraying herself. She'll get close to no one, speak with no one and the world she's going to live in would be no one but herself.

She deserves this fate. She deserves it. She had to deserve it, because this was the punishment she gets for not listening to her brain and always follow her heart and instinct.

They were always wrong…

"Hello!"

Homura stared cautiously at this weirdly pink-haired girl who approached her during lunch period in high school. It was the fifth school that Homura transferred into after she realized she needed a fresh start badly. And she finally received it, and she's going to treasure it like nothing else matters in the world.

The black-haired girl ignored the pinkette who offered a _Hello_ and pushed her tray of food forward, making it difficult for Madoka if she wanted to put her bowl of hot soup on the table.

But her smile didn't' waver even when the bowl was scorching her fingers. "Do you mind if I sit here?" Madoka pretended she never saw what Homura was obviously hinting and spoke in a cheerful tone.

"No."

Madoka's smile became even wider. "Why not?"

"I want to be alone." Homura collected some food from her tray, setting it in front of her and started eating, but she still left the tray on the original position, still not letting Madoka to put her food down.

"Madoka!"

The pinkette slightly turned and spotted her three friends waving at here.

"What on earth are you doing over there? Come here! We've found enough seats!" Kyoko yelled.

"But I prefer here!" Madoka exclaimed with her enthusiastic voice. "And I'm planning to make a friend!"

Homura's head shot up as she stared incredulously at Madoka who turned to smile back at her.

"What the heck… We _are _your friends!" Sayaka showed her fist.

"Of course! And let me introduce you guys my new friend!" Madoka carefully let go of the bowl and only held it with one hand as she placed her free hand on Homura's stiff shoulder and squeezed. "Homura!"

_She could have walked away, but yet she didn't._

_And why… didn't she walk away like what others would do._

_Why…?_

"Ho-mu-ra!" Madoka giggled as she punched a soft toy at onto Homura's arm.

Homura shook her head as she grabbed onto a cat stuffed to and lightly poke into Madoka's stomach.

"That tickles!" Madoka laughed.

Kyoko grabbed the big caterpillar stuffed toy and banged it right into Mami's head. "Nom Nom Nom." She growled as if she was the caterpillar.

"Ew." Sayaka rolled her eyes at all of them. "Seriously Homura, even you?" She gave a lame look.

"What's wrong in having fun?" Madoka defended and pouted. "Homura can do whatever she want!"

"She's just jealous because no one is playing with her." Kyoko throw a toy towards Sayaka as she caught it successfully.

"Whatever." Sayaka used all her force and threw the toy towards Homura.

"Hey! Why are you venting you angers on her?" Madoka grabbed the soft toy that Sayaka used to hit Homura.

"What? I'm just passing it to her." Sayaka yelled.

"No you aren't!"

"Yes I am!"

"No!"

"Yes you idiot pinky!"

"Stop it you two idiots!"

"Mami! This is none of your business! You're forever alone!"

"Ok."

They were best friends before I even knew Madoka. But both of them fought and were angry with each other for quite sometimes just because of a simple matter… for me…

_Why… Why did she do that?_

Tapping on the wrapped gift in her hand, she gave a loud sigh and stared up at the sky. Only thoughts of Madoka and nothing else continued invading her mind.

She knew why, deep down she already knew why she always felt like that. But she just doesn't have the courage…

_Why wouldn't these feelings go away?_

_Why… Why… Why…_

_Have I fallen… fallen that hard that I couldn't even return even when I have the power to time travel?_

"Homura!"

_Why… Why… Why…_

"Homura?"

The said girl blinked as she turned to find her pinkette best friend sitting right beside her on the bench.

"Madoka." Homura blinked.

"I've finally found you." Madoka smiled, but it soon disappeared and was replaced with a frown. "But are you sick? You looked so in daze." Madoka raised her hand and set it on Homura's forehead gently and stayed there for quite a while.

It was just like a drug. With her warm hand touching her cool forehead, all the past doubts and unwanted memories of her terrible childhood were lifted away from her.

She want her touch, her soft and tender touch. And just like a simple movement of placing her hand on her forehead, she felt like she just went to heaven for a second.

"Nope, no fever." Madoka nodded her head as she set her arm back to her side.

She felt cold, so so cold. It was like she was out there stranded in the middle of a snowstorm with nowhere to go. Her touch was her light; her touch was a direction of where she was reaching out.

**Yearn. **_Yearn._ Yearn.

"Is that for me?" Madoka glanced at the small pink box on Homura's lap.

"Uh." Homura slightly blushed as she tried brushing away the thoughts. "T-This is for you, but I don't know if you would like it or not."

"Homura is giving me a present?" Madoka clapped her hand in glee.

"It's nothing special." Homura tried to calm Madoka down in order to avoid disappointment. She handed the small box to Madoka's hand and gave a tiny smile that radiant so much light in Madoka's eyes.

"Happy birthday."

Taking it with politeness the pinkette set the box on her lap and stared at Homura for permission.

"Alright." Homura nodded.

Just like a five years old child opening presents on Christmas day, Madoka started unwrapping the pink colored wrapping paper and set it aside.

It was a box.

With a push, the box opened up and revealed a Madoka figurine in a pink fluffy costume. It was twirling, twirling around as a soft melody started to play.

"Homura…" Madoka slowly turned to look at the girl beside her.

"I made the figurine myself. I hope it doesn't seem to bad." Homura glanced away.

"It's pretty!" Madoka beamed, lifting the music box up and showed it to Homura childishly. "This is the best birthday gift I have ever receive in my whole life!" She exclaimed, setting it back on her lap and closed her eyes, listening to the soft melody of the music playing with a small smile etched on her lips.

Yearn. **Yearn.**_ Yearn_

Her smile was what she always wanted. Her smile was something she always looked forward to every single day; a sort of purpose for her to wake up and to look forward to the day ahead.

Why… Why is that simple smile that Madoka showed everyday is so beautiful that Homura could never, ever imagine the thought of getting sick of it. Her bubbly character, her cheerful and enthusiastic tone she gave when she respond. Just these simple things that everyone in the world can do, only Madoka is able to do it even more special that it could even make Homura smile with her even when she was given a nicknamed as 'a block of ice'.

Putting up all her courage, Homura slowly laid her head on Madoka's shoulder and closed her eyes. Madoka opened her eyes instead, but she didn't push her away or was surprised at all. Instead, she gave a warm smile that she only gave specially for Homura and closed her eyes too, laying her head onto Homura's.

They kept close together all the way, without moving a single bit. The melody of the music box continued playing as their mind slowly drifted apart and they soon fell asleep together.

Madoka's hand slowly fell away form her lap and touched onto Homura's hand, which was on the bench. In normal circumstances, people would have woken up due to that sudden touch they felt, but for the both of them, it was as if they were perfectly fine with it, even when they were asleep.

_Yearn._ Yearn. **Yearn**

Homura couldn't have yearned more than anything else in the world except for Madoka. She's perfect for her. She's the one for her. She's everything to her.

They had never exchanged thoughts about getting boyfriends before when Mami was the only one ranting in the group while the other four listens. Sometimes, they two of them would glance past each other but they never said anything.

Homura doesn't really understand what were those awkward glances that Madoka gave really meant, but she's determined right now.

One day, she's going to get all her courage at one go and poured her true feelings out. Rejected or not, she doesn't care. All she wanted was to hear how Madoka really felt for her all these while when they were together.

Even if they could only be friends, Homura doesn't mind a single bit…

They could still be best best best friends afterall!

"I love you Homura!"

"…?"

"Best friends forever! Right?" Madoka beamed.

"Yeah." Homura smiled gently, the one she only gave to Madoka, alone. "Best friends forever."

_But in truth… I love you more than just best friends… Much much more…_

"That's right. Take a few more!" Kyoko whispered harshly as Mami continued taking pictures.

"That's great." Sayaka chortled as she gave an evil grin. "Homura's birthday is coming soon right? It seems that we have settled her birthday gift now."

Mami grinned as she stared at the camera screen. "Perfect." She grinned.


End file.
